The start of the 2023-24 school year brings some changes to a few school policies. Here’s a brief overview of some of these changes, with more substantial coverage to come in the next few days and weeks. 

Cell Phones

Perhaps the biggest change for students on campus is the new cell phone policy.

This year, teachers will prohibit cell phone use and require students to store devices in designated storage areas during class. 

Students will be permitted to use phones during instructional brain breaks, informal practice, and technology-based instructional activities.

It will be up to the individual teachers to decide where cell phones must be stored. 

Teachers will also try to ensure that there is no cell phone use in the restrooms and locker rooms, and calls will be strictly prohibited in class, including advisory.

No Drop-Offs

There will no longer be drop-offs of any kind permitted on campus. 

Students will also not be allowed to exit the building for pickups of any kind including to receive orders from delivery apps, such as Uber Eats and GrubHub. 

Doorbell

If students leave for appointments, sickness, or other such things, students will be let back in when they return during the school day.

However, instead of the front door to the school remaining unlocked during school hours, students will have to press the doorbell and wait for a response. Then, you will show your license or school ID. 

If you are leaving and being picked up, the parent picking you up will do the same and show their ID.

Grading Policy

While there have been a few changes this year, the grading policy has remained the same as the 2022-2023 school year. 

All graded assignments will continue to have the same weight, however, the categories will have different names.

Non-graded assignments will be called Progress Checks For Learning. These will be recorded in HAC, but not calculated in students’ GPAs. 

All other graded assessments will be titled Assessments of Learning. These will all be equally weighted and calculated into a student’s GPA.

Dress Code

The following dress code rules will likely keep you out of trouble; don’t wear clothes that disturb school activities, clothes with drugs, alcohol, gang-related, or offensive content, and anything that could create a health hazard for other students.

If any of your outfits or accessories could cause harm to any other students, it’s probably a good idea to leave them at home. 

Academic Lunches

Academic lunches will be assigned by teachers for missing and late work. 

Advisory 

The advisory period begins on Aug. 21.

Starting at 12:15 p.m., students will have five minutes to get to a classroom. After this five-minute period, advisory will continue until 12:45 p.m.

During advisory, the halls will be closed, but common areas such as the cafeteria will remain open

Although advisory can be a time to hang out with friends, it’s also an opportunity to study and prepare for any classes, tests, or quizzes.

Students can also use advisory to discover or explore new interests by attending club meetings or even making a club of their own.

Once again, advisory doesn’t start until Aug. 21, so until then, students will stay in their second-period class for an extra 30 minutes.

Mandatory Tutorials

Many students find it helpful to reach out and get to know their teachers as it’ll make asking them for help a lot easier. 

If necessary, a teacher will assign you a mandatory tutorial. These tutorials will be during advisory or before or after school depending on your availability. 

Lunch

Lunch begins at 12:50 and ends at 2:50; there are four groups of lunches, with each lunch lasting 30 minutes.

The lunch students are assigned depends on the class they are in during third period.